Kathmandu guide
A local's guide to Kathmandu, Nepal
When should we plan our holiday to Kathmandu and why?
The main season in Nepal begins mid-September and ends mid-May. Towards the end of May to early September, it’s monsoon season. People do visit Nepal during this time, however, it can and does rain heavily.
Before your trip to Kathmandu, read our list of useful tips for travellers in Nepal.
Where would you recommend we stay?
Our favourite hotel is Dwarika’s, and it's included on Insight Guides' Exclusive Everest trip. There is nothing quite like it in Kathmandu. It’s as much a living museum as it is a luxury hotel. But, if deluxe accommodation is out of your budget, Hotel Shanker is an ideal establish from which to investigate. It’s located in a quieter part of the city and has its own gardens complete with an outdoor pool to relax by. Plus, it's just a minute amble from the vibrant Thamel neighbourhood.
Where is a superb place for dinner in Kathmandu?
You’re spoiled for preference in Kathmandu when it comes to dining. There’s everything from top-end gourmet restaurants to street sustenance, pizza parlours to burger joints, Thai to Szechuan and Indian. You label it, you'll find it in Ka
1. Boudhanath Temple: A Colorful Cosmos
The Boudhanath Temple, or Stupa, is the largest temple outside of Tibet. It is at the center of Kathmandu's Tibetan culture and is richly endowed with Buddhist symbolism. You can find it in Boudha, in the east of Kathmandu, where it dominates the skyline. It is thought that the Boudhanath Temple dates from the 14th century and its exterior represents the Buddhist cosmos. Inside, you will find an extraordinary array of frescoes and structures incorporating many sacred numbers from the Buddhist faith. Visiting is a colorful, moving and exhilarating experience that lives long in the memory.
2. Durbar Square: A Magical, Mystical Square
Durbar Square is sure to feature on your visit to Kathmandu. The name means royal palace square and the square faces the Hanuman Dhoka Palace. This was the seat of the Nepalese royal family until the 19th century and was the setting for the coronation of Nepalese kings. Today, you can visit the state rooms, where you will spot elaborate wooden carvings, decorative window frames and the Mahendra and King Tribhuwan museums. To the south of the square you will encounter one of the strangest attractions in al
Kathmandu Travel Guide
About Kathmandu
The gateway to a mystical country of mountains and monasteries, Kathmandu is still the jewel at the finish of the backpacker footpath, despite two earthquakes in In this captivating capital city, gilded stupas burst out of hidden courtyards, and winding alleyways expose suddenly onto civic squares studded with medieval temples.
Protected by a sheer mountain wall, Kathmandu has changed only superficially since its heyday as an independent city state, fighting for dominance with its proximate neighbours, Patan and Bhaktapur.
During this golden era, the city streets were filled with some of the most striking architecture in Asia – tall, step-roofed pagoda temples, red-brick palaces with intricately carved timbers and golden stupas adorned with the eyes of Buddha.
With the end of the country’s decade-long civil war, Kathmandu is again overflowing with gap-year students, dreadlocked hippies and Gore-Tex clad trekkers, swapping stories of adventure over plates of Tibetan dumplings before heading for the lofty mountain passes.
In between expeditions to the mountains, travellers spend laid-back days exploring the medieval city-states that dot
Guide to Kathmandu City
About Kathmandu city
Kathmandu city is over 2, years old, resting 1, meters (4, ft) above sea level within a valley surrounded by four mountains. The capital was once one of three royal cities that made up the Kathmandu Valley. This valley is historically important as it was once known as being "all of Nepal".
The city is a merge of ancient Newari, Hindu, and Buddhist architecture, tight streets, and temples along with a developing sector of larger roads and modern buildings.
The population of Kathmandu city numbers skillfully over 2 million. The majority of people are largely Hindu, followed by Buddhist. Newari people were the first to decide in the city, though their population is weakening due to intercultural marriages.
The earthquake took its toll on the city. Since , there has been an increase in unfinished road and infrastructure building which has taken its toll on both pollution around the city. Electric vehicles are slowly organism introduced to combat this along with a unused water supply said to be finished by
Throughout this page to Kathmandu city are several more detailed travel guides to individual sights within Kathmandu city
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